Archive | December, 2007

Sancia Warren, Virginia Swaggerty, Ashley Sinks, and Justin Higgins from left, graduating seniors and members of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society at Tusculum College, were recognized during a reception prior to commencement exercises on Dec. 15.

Juniors or seniors in the top 10 percent of their classes are invited to become members of the honor society.

Graduating seniors receive blue and green cords to wear during graduation to signify their membership in the honor society.

Warren of Hamilton, Va.; Swaggerty and Sinks, both of Afton; and Higgins of Pelzer, S.C., were recognized by Dr. Nancy Thomas, advisor for the honor society, and presented their cords by Dr. Kimberly K. Estep, provost and academic vice president at the college.

More than 300 students were graduated Saturday morning during the winter commencement at Tusculum College. Ceremonies began at 11 a.m. in the Pioneer Arena located in the Niswonger Commons. Drew Miles and Sudipa Shrestha presented brief student addresses on behalf of the graduating class.

Miles, a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management major from Knoxville, discussed the Graduate and Professional Studies program approach and the type of students, mostly working adults, who take advantage of it, as he did. For such students, mixing academic life with their family and professional lives is an “amazing balancing act,” Miles said. He noted that the GPS program “sets students up to be successful.” He challenged everyone present to find and congratulate a graduate before leaving the campus on Saturday, including graduates they do now know personally.

Shrestha, a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in accounting, recounted her own history of personal drive for academic success, including starting school at at 3-and-a-half in her native Nepal. “I was the happiest when I was in school … since then my passion to learn has never lessened,” she said. She talked of the unexpected nature of her life experiences, including “traveling 7,000 miles” to attend Tusculum College, and her expectation of soon entering the international business world in New York. She said that Tusculum has given her the “lessons of courage, moral integrity and diplomacy.”

Also addressing the audience was Interim President Dr. Russell Nichols, who discussed the diversity of the graduating class and the fact that each member will “take Tusculum College with you wherever you go the rest of your life.” He wished for them the “good fortune to earn,” and expressed hope that they would find it in themselves to “return” from the fruits of their successes by supporting good causes throughout their lives.

The baccalaureate sermon, entitled “The Fine Art of Failure” was presented by Campus Chaplain Dr. Stephen R. Weisz. He emphasized the capacity of failure to teach life lessons, noting that Thomas Edison, the famed inventor, declared he had more failures than successes in life, but today is remembered as a successful person. Edison’s philosophy was to apply the lessons learned in failure to move forward into success, Weisz said.

Two bagpipers, Jon Shell and Ben Pollard, led the commencement processional, as is traditional at Tusculum College. Organist James Winfree provided musical accompaniment, with vocal music led by Jill Jones of the Tusculum College staff.

After Wednesday (12/19), the SquirrelMail interface will no longer be available. Through Wednesday, users who are off-campus and users who are on-campus should use separate links to check their email using SquirrelMail.

Youth at the Boys & Girls Club of Greeneville and Greene County had the opportunity to tell Santa Claus what they want for Christmas, at top left, and create an ornament during a recent Christmas party at the club hosted by the Tusculum College Bonner Leaders.

The Christmas Party was organized and coordinated by two of the Bonner Leaders, Megan Dubois and Morgan Hillard, and the remainder of the students helped volunteer at the different stations set up for the children.

In one station, the children decorated cookies; at another they could have their face painted; one station offered the opportunity to “pin the star on the Christmas tree,” and another to take part in a spirited game of “Musical Chairs” in addition to the visit with Santa and ornament decoration. Designed for students with an interest in service, the Bonner Leader program provides leadership training, a tuition grant and a channel for students to serve in the community through a partnership with the Bonner Foundation.

Patty Virginia Sarden was honored on Wednesday (Dec. 12) for her service to make the local community a better place to live as she was presented the Greene County Women of Courage Award.

Sarden was presented the award during a ceremony at Tusculum College. The Award is presented by Tusculum’s Center for Civic Advancement, and the award selection process was a project for two students in a service-learning course at the college, Karen Henninger and Heather MacArthur.

“Overall, Pattty Sarden is an outstanding member of the Greene County community,” the two students said.

Accepting the award, Sarden described herself as an “ordinary person.” “I have accepted little responsibilities during my life, but little becomes much when it is placed in the Father’s hand,” she said. ‘Thank you for this award.”

In presenting the award, Henninger and MacArthur described Sarden’s varied service to the community. Sarden was the first president of the George Clem Scholarship Foundation, and was involved with the foundation in the 1980s and helped reorganize it in the 1990s. Sarden helped in the fundraising for scholarships and in selecting the scholarship recipients. She was also part of the reunion committee for the George Clem community.

Born in Limestone and raised in Baileyton, Sarden is the oldest of six children and her commitment to service comes from her grandfather who always told here she could do anything and filled her with the desire to serve others. She was the first black woman to work in television electronics at what was then the Magnavox Company factory in Greeneville.

Sarden, who is married to Jimmy Sarden and has three sons, possesses both artistic and musical creative talent that she has used to serve others. An amateur artist, she gets involved in Black History Month each year by displaying her artwork in the Nathanael Greene Museum in downtown Greeneville.

She writes and recites poetry in the community, and has been involved in a writing correspondence course with children. Sarden also writes children’s stories and Christmas skits. She was the talent coordinator for the Miss Ebony Pageant, which provides girls with an opportunity to present their talents and compete for a scholarship.

A self-taught pianist who started playing at age 11, Sarden is minister of music at Jones Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church and volunteers to play at weddings, funerals, and social events. She has plans to write and direct the first all-black musical in Greeneville to give talented individuals in the George Clem community and other areas of Greene County the opportunity to share their talents and be recognized.

Sarden is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization. She was involved with the Women’s Home and Overseas Missionary Society from 1999 to 2003 in efforts to teach children how to be good members of the community and have a consciousness of what is right and wrong.

The two students received several nominations from the community for the award. In opening the ceremony, Tusculum Interim President Dr. Russell Nichols told the nominees that each one deserved to receive the award and thanked them for their service of others, which improves the quality of life in the community.

Each of the nominees was recognized, and presented a rose and a certificate from Henninger and MacArthur.
Nominees included:

Amy Bowman, a member of the Greene County Humane Society who educates children about the proper care of animals and the importance of getting animals spayed and neutered;

Patricia Braxton, a volunteer who makes cards to help brighten the lives of people in the community;

Carolyn Brooks, who volunteers with the Wing of Angels, which provides school clothes and supplies to needy children in Greene County and is also a member of the American Women’s Business Association;

Matilda Greene, secretary of the Greeneville Arts Council and a member of the board of directors of the Greene County Humane Society, who is also helping raise funds for the creation of the Greeneville Skate Park;

Renee Lowery, who is an active member of her church and works for Takoma Regional Hospital;

Sherry Melton, president of the Greeneville Skate Park Association, which is working to provide the park as a positive place for young people to spend time;

Dotti Pawlicki, a volunteer for U-Turn for Christ, an organization which helps women overcome difficulties with drugs, eating disorders, and other problems, and for Keep Greene Beautiful and the Opportunity House;

Jean Peeks, the creator of the Women’s Club Widows that gives widows a place to find support and meet with other widows in the Greene County area; and

Kay Shackelford, who started the Helping Hands Foundation that provides clothes and other services for those in need.

This is the third Women of Courage Award that has been presented. The first honored Mary Jane Coleman, who established the Sinking Creek Film Festival, and the second recognized Lillian Taylor for her work in the community promoting peace and her service to the Andrew Johnson Heritage Association.

The inaugural Student of the Block is Micah Haney, a sophomore Sport Management major hailing from Fort Payne Alabama. He is a 2006 graduate of Fort Payne High School and wishes to become a General Manager for a professional sports team in the near future.

Micah is very involved on the TC campus informally as well as through many organizations, including:

Also serving as an Intern in Physical Education and as a work study for the Intramurals and Recreational Sports program, Micah still manages to maintain a 3.45 GPA.

Micah initially chose to attend Tusculum College because of its size small size and the unique block system but grew to love it because of the people he interacts with daily and all of the activities offered. His favorite memory of Tusculum thus far is meeting new people (he has never met a stranger) and recommends to all TC students that they get involved “because the campus can only improve when people become interested in their own college experience.”

Micah was nominated by the Athletics Department and was touted as a dedicated individual with the will to learn, the want to be challenged, and the dedication to succeed at all he took on. He relished his experience as an intern because it was an opportunity to discover the inner workings of a sports department. “Learning the ins and outs of game day operations was definitely an enlightening experience. I thank them (the Athletics Department) for giving me the freedom to get assignments done in an unrestrictive learning environment. It was a great opportunity and I enjoyed all aspects of it.” stated Micah. Micah credits his mother for his work ethic and will to always work hard at everything he does, as she has taught him that achievements and rewards will come when hard work has come first.

Micah is truly a unique and excellent representative of the Tusculum College community. We value the opportunity to have him in our midst and look forward to seeing what he tackles next!